Susquehanna Township bans sexual orientation-based discrimination

Susquehanna Twp. on Thursday night became the first midstate municipality outside Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

Though most citizens speaking at the commissioners’ meeting praised the ordinance — which calls for equality in housing, employment, and public accommodations — two raised concerns and one commissioner opposed the measure.

Commissioner Steven Napper said he knows “all about discrimination, and discrimination is ugly,” but he opposed the ordinance, citing unanswered questions about enforcement and amendments.

“With over 2,000 municipalities in 67 [Pennsylvania] counties, what steps are we doing to get this done on a state level?” he said.

Instead of passing ordinances, commissioners should educate residents about discrimination and concentrate on tax and development issues, Napper said.

Under the ordinance, a nine-member, volunteer township human relations commission will hear complaints and mediate disputes. Complaints covered by state law would be forwarded to the appropriate agency, while other issues could proceed to public hearing and, in the absence of a mediated settlement, to county court.

State law bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, disability, and other classes, but bills to extend the ban to sexual orientation, gender identity, and genetic information continually stall in the legislature, said Ted Martin, executive director of Equality PA.

Equality PA is backing municipal ordinances to fill the void in state law, and Susquehanna Twp.’s law is the state’s 26th, Martin said. Another four or five midstate municipalities are considering similar ordinances, Martin said, but he wouldn’t name them.

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